


Here It Comes

by altered_eagle



Series: City Goblins [13]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alfred Pennyworth is a good dad, Batjokes, Bruce Wayne is a Mother Hen, Bruce Wayne is a mess, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Injury Recovery, Joker whump, M/M, The Babysitter's Club - Freeform, and J well, flangst, fuckin' a, he tries, ohhhhhhhh boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 01:57:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12355074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altered_eagle/pseuds/altered_eagle
Summary: It’s the twenty third of June when Bruce brings the Joker home again, and the first thing you see is the frantic look in his eyes, in his movements, in his voice as he tries to wake the man slumped over in the front seat of the tumbler.





	Here It Comes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [robatics (synthwave)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/synthwave/gifts).



[Here It Comes: Modest Mouse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnFP4gWFS8k)

 

It’s the twenty third of June when Bruce brings the Joker home again, and the first thing you see is the frantic look in his eyes, in his movements, in his voice as he tries to wake the man slumped over in the front seat of the tumbler.

The Joker wakes easily enough, and although he’s clearly battered and in pain he seems no worse off than any other time. Bruce seems close to tears.

You bring out a wheelchair.

You set up an IV.

 

**June 24th**

Bruce is magnetized toward this man, refuses to leave his side. You watch him hold the Joker’s head in his lap. You watch him stroke his fingers through the Joker’s hair over and over while he stares at the television as if in a trance, while the madman looks back up him with a contented but puzzled expression on his face.

He doesn’t know, you’ve come to realize. But it’s hardly your business to tell him.

He is not a well man, with half of his body covered in abrasions of varying depth and severity. He can barely bend his knees. But he still smiles whenever Bruce touches him, or speaks to him, or pays any attention to him at all.

 

**June 25th**

_i hate seeing you hurt, Joker. i hate it. Sometimes i wish we could just leave that we could take off to my island or Paris or New Zealand and drop all of our arch nemesis bullshit_

_Don’t you put that on me, Bruce Wayne. Don’t you put that on us. i don’t even remember the drive here, i was in no fit state to give consent for you to bring my sorry ass to your house and you know that. Ah—hey, stop. Relax. i’m not saying that i don’t appreciate you stopping Bane from turning me into a hamburger but i’m just—_

_i care about you. i wanted you to be here with me._

_You didn’t ask me. And i’m fine with that Bruce, but i feel bad seeing you tear yourself up like this._

_Joker…_

They both fall silent for a moment, and then the clown lays a hand on Bruce’s knee.

You’ve never seen them argue. Of course this hardly counts as arguing, this quiet exchange between them, but it’s something. Then the tiniest sliver of guilt settles into you for listening in, but it happens more often than Bruce thinks.

 

**June 26th**

_What’s going on with him_ , the clown asks you. _Did i forget his birthday or something._

_i can see he’s never told you what happened twenty four years ago today, has he._

_What, you think he tells me everything_ , the clown replies flatly. He winces as you tug the bandage gently across his wrist. i _mean i don’t really care one way or the other if he doesn’t want to tell me, but he does seem to want me here. A lot._

 _He does_ , you agree, but you don’t say anything more. There is a look in the Joker’s eyes that you don’t recognize as being a part of him.

 _Listen_ , he continues, _just don’t let him rope you into waiting on me okay. You do enough around here._ You nod.

You finish bandaging him.

You leave the room.

You open the refrigerator, you make them breakfast.

**Author's Note:**

> Bane is alive in my continuity. Thomas and Martha died on June 26th. Bruce was ten.


End file.
